Acoustic String Gauge Experiment

[West R Lee]

West

 

[SFIV1967]

Very interesting! Strumming .012-.053 sounded most natural, Fingerpicking .013-.056 was a bold sound but they are true, .010-.047 was the most balanced for fingerpicking.

Ralf

 

[GGJaguar]

I assume that particular Gibson model is long scale. I wonder if the test results would be different if they used J-45.

 

[SFIV1967]

I assume that particular Gibson model is long scale. I wonder if the test results would be different if they used J-45.

The '57 Country & Western has a scale length of 24 3/4 in., same as the J-45.

Ralf

 

[GGJaguar]

Thanks Ralf. Now I'd like to hear the strings on an AJ with 25 1/5 in. scale.

 

[walrus]

Don't show this to Woody!

walrus

 

[Westerly Wood]

West

I can’t tell a difference. I think I like the .11-.52 best. Funny. I know the .11-.52 are great on my dread. But the short scale guitar, not so much. Needs more tension. At least .12-.53, mediums even better on f30r. So in the middle would be EJ11s or 16s. Jeff’s right. Probably shouldn’t have watched this.

 

[Guildedagain]

I need a subscription for EJ16's.

It's kind of Captain of her Heart?

 

[twocorgis]

I need a subscription for EJ16's.

I have my string dalliances from time to time, but I always come back to EJ16s. I'm a big fan of the company, too.

 

[Guildedagain]

I just became a huge fan when I heard how good they sounded old and dead on a few guitars, I'm sold.

 

[Wilmywood]

I've been using EJ15s .010-.047 on my '72 G37 forever

 

[West R Lee]

Personally, I play .012-.053". When I played JP strings all of the time, I dabbled back and forth between lights, and lighter strings. Having said that, I never really took things like tone or volume into account, but I've always played lights for two reasons.........first to help protect the geometry of the neck, bridge and top, but also because they were easier on my fingers and always felt easier to manipulate, But I've always been just fine with volume and tone in that I'm not playing for crowds, just for me, my wife and occasionally for friends. So now it's mostly D'Addario XT in .012-.053". But just for the heck of it, since my newer guitars come equipped with '013" to '056", I might give them a shot just for grins. Though I doubt I'll stick with them.

Having said that, I certainly understand why some folks prefer heavier strings and I think if I were say an accomplished flat picker, I might prefer them as well from time to time. I just thought this video was an interesting take on strings gauges, and it really kind of caught me off guard. I didn't expect the outcome.

West

 

[Maguchi]

Very interesting! Strumming .012-.053 sounded most natural, Fingerpicking .013-.056 was a bold sound but they are true, .010-.047 was the most balanced for fingerpicking.

Ralf

Hmm, interesting.

Another possibility; Bluegrass players use 12-56 on their dreadnoughts. They're a good volume balance and brightness/snappiness balance of bass single string runs and chords. I saw them in a store, bought them and really liked them. Been using them since. The zing and sparkle of the lighter treble strings paired with the strong snappy bass sound is really nice.

 

[KCGuildPicker]

I've been known to go down the string rabbit hole every now and again. Also, find myself routinely down the rabbit hole for picks.
I use 12-53's D'addario Nickel on my Eastman E20D and those are absolutely on-point for that guitar. On my Eastman E10D, I have Martin 13-56 Retros - again, those are on point for that guitar. On my Guild DV-52, I had 12-54 Retros for a bit, but it seems that she likes the 12-54 PB a bit more. I would like to try 13-56's on my Guild, but it does have a fully repaired top crack and I'm not sure I'm quite comfy with the added tension on the top (of course, that could also be just in my head). My Larrivee is where I go down the rabbit hole as it seems that I'm not truly happy with any of the string combinations I've tried yet - Maybe it wants 11-52's. Guitars present any number of rabbit hole possibilities for those who maybe inclined to follow them.

 

[Walter Broes]

No offense to anyone intended, but I can't stand videos like those. Too many variables. Different guitars, styles and most of all

players/people work differently with any given string gauge. Also - I'll go to accomplished acoustic specialists for guitar and string advice if or when I need it. Not to someone generating clicks for his monetized youtube channel.

 

[West R Lee]

No offense to anyone intended, but I can't stand videos like those. Too many variables. Different guitars, styles and most of all

players/people work differently with any given string gauge. Also - I'll go to accomplished acoustic specialists for guitar and string advice if or when I need it. Not to someone generating clicks for his monetized youtube channel.

Oh I don't put much stock into them either Walter, and I agree.......too many variables. Heck, the difference in technique between one player and the next can and does make a remarkable difference in tone, just to cite one variable.

West

 

[schoolie]

For acoustics, it depends on the stiffness of the top and tuning used. One of my guitars sounds best with mediums, but I use light gauge on most.

 

[wileypickett]

I'm with Walter. However earnest the efforts of everyone involved, I don't get much from comparisons like this, because of the variables (the same sets of strings will sound different on different guitars -- rosewood versus mahogonay versus cedar versus maple, etc.), but also because people have different perceptions and different preferences, not just in how strings sound but in how they feel.

I suspect the finger-style player is more used to 010s than heavier gauges. Myself, I can't play with 010s on an acoustic; the B and E strings feel too wimpy to me -- like rubber bands. I prefer some resistance from my strings. (My string set of choice -- what I'm used to -- are EJ17s -- Mediums -- tuned way down below standard.)